Topic: Tiger Woods PGA Tour '06

[Pryopizm]

Feel free to say everything that's on your mind regarding the Tiger Woods Review.

[Nephilim]

good review
I played 05 for xbox, and I can relate to your problems with the controls
was awful

[Pryopizm]

Wow!  Someone cared!  Thanks for the kind words, by the way.  =O)

[Renny]

Gonna have to chime in a little late on this review, as I just bought PS2TW06 for a relative and it got me thinking about where the game has gone in its relatively short life-span. I was also new to golfing games when I played Tiger Woods 2004--barring the odd Golden Tee round. Little pun-intended joke there. I have no shame. It would've been totally overwhelming if my friend wasn't familiar with the sub-genre, and I still experienced the same bewilderment as you: the amount of options is extreme and is a barrier to newcomers. Yet at the same time the game is fairly easy. In short order we were both smashing records left and right, consistently under par, and this is reputed to be the most challenging version in its past 3 iterations. The point of contention amongst fans is how the game has sought to become more accessible for the masses, and this is what allowed me to get sucked into the game. But just as quickly I became restless with the lack of challenge, turning off all aids and still wanting more. EA is attempting to walk a fine line between two distant goals; their idea of compromise ultimately suits neither potential customer.

I wonder if there are any other fans of the series lurking on the board. Which is the best in the series? Which is most challenging, and which is most polished? I really enjoyed 2004 despite the apparent shallowness in difficulty, and found 2005 a total letdown, losing the putting grid, and other changes I can't remember. Online play in the Xbox version of 2005 was also half-assed and uninteresting, like most of EA's online crap. So between those two I still favor 2004, which also brought one of those genuinely lollertastic  moments with this piece of commentary (paraphrasing from fragmented memory): "It's hot down on the course here, McCord. I'm sweating like a fat girl at her sister's wedding."

More spcecifically about the review: the same faults in the game are repeating year after year, on every platform. Graphics are hit and miss, animations are amusing but the novelty wears off quickly, lacking difficulty, novel but quirkcy controls, bugs left and right, online play sucks harder each year. And that makes the lack of it in the GameCube versions completely moot. Playing right alongside someone is inherently more fun, and the Cube stands alongside the others in that respect. Where the hell am I rambling to? Well I agree with the review, and the sentiments expressed can be applied to any recent version on any platform.  So anyone looking for the game would do just as well to get it on the purple lunchbox if the only mitigating factor would've been playing online. (Read the forums if you don't believe me.)

[Pryopizm]

Glad to hear your reply, Renny.  You're right in that the gameplay is pretty simple, but for short games between two friends, I think that works nicely.  If you're looking for more of a challenge, though, try creating your own character and building up your stats based on performance.  Soon you'll end up rocking the records, but it's a fun trip getting to that point.  

Of course, that'll eat up quite a large portion of your relative's memory card, but it's nowhere near as bad as Madden's memory hogging.

[Renny]

Yep, character building is where the game really shines. The character creation is the most confusing aspect, but is equally rewarding, allowing a creative outlet in an inherently linear and rigid genre. (I'm talking about making sexually confused golfers, of course. ) ...I guess there aren't any other fans here. I'll be tackling some 2-player versus come Christmas against my brother. Hopefully that'll take some of the cyncism off my view of the series.

[blackfootsteps]

I don't mind it - I have only played one entry in the series though, (2004 or 2005) I was hooked for a couple of weeks then I never really played again, except for the odd round of speed golf.

I guess I would rather play a soccer, NFL or hockey game as my bro would join in.